Bolles fifth graders on the Lower School Whitehurst Campus discovered new strengths in negotiation and critical thinking through this year’s World Peace Game, held November 28-December 9.
At the heart of the “game” is a multilevel, plexiglass shelving structure that warehouses various world resources in the sea, land, air and space. Similar to Model UN, students were assigned various roles as leaders of different countries, funding organizations, treasuries, the weather and other groups.
During the two weeks, they learned more about their roles, protocols and rules to achieve the end game: world peace. They considered such thoughts as “Does it make sense? Or, can you accept the consequences? Or, can you afford it?” The days are run according to a very structured timetable, and students enjoyed the pace and rigor of the assignments.
The World Peace Game began in 1978 when teacher John Hunter devised an activity that would help children learn how to solve problems through harmony and peaceful solutions – within a chaotic and often violent world. The game requires students to apply multiple thinking and problem-solving strategies to situations and negotiations with the object of resolving or reducing all conflicts, to increase the value of their countries and to develop thinkers who are equipped to solve problems in multiple ways.
“The World Peace Game is a hands-on political simulation that gives players the opportunity to explore the connectedness of the global community through the lens of the economic, social and environmental crises and the imminent threat of war. The goal of the game is to extricate each country from dangerous circumstances and achieve global prosperity with the least amount of military intervention. As ‘nation teams,’ students will gain greater understanding of the critical impact of information and how it is used,” the World Peace Game Foundation explains on its website.
Students on the Bolles Lower School Ponte Vedra Beach Campus will participate in the World Peace Game this spring.
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Original source can be found here.
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